Who built the Mikhailovsky castle. Mikhailovsky Castle - Engineering Castle - Nikolaev Military Engineering Academy
In the center of St. Petersburg rises an amazing yellow hulk - Mikhailovsky Castle, built in due time for Emperor Paul I
The Mikhailovsky Castle was not named so by accident - it houses the church of the Archangel Michael, and the name "castle" was fixed to it only because of the quirk of Paul I, who called all his palaces "castles"
The emperor wanted to make Mikhailovsky Castle his main residence, therefore, the then-popular architect Bazhenov was involved in the development of the building design. The ceremonial laying of the first stone in the foundation of the palace took place on February 26, 1797, and on November 8, 1800, on the day of St. Michael the Archangel, the castle was solemnly consecrated, although it was not completely ready by that time - work on its interior decoration was completed only in March 1801 year
The St. George Throne adjoined the Round Throne Hall of the palace, which at one time served as the guard guard for the Knights of Malta, but, unfortunately, its original appearance was lost due to repeated reconstructions in the XIX-XX centuries
Initially, Mikhailovsky Castle was surrounded by water and was an artificial island connected to the “land” by three drawbridges, but later the Voskresensky and Church channels were bombarded
Mikhailovsky Castle is not like any other building in St. Petersburg - and it is not surprising, because the emperor, suspecting the existence of a conspiracy against him, built not just a castle, but a fortress that was supposed to at least partially protect it. This is why the palace is a square surrounded by a moat with rounded corners and an octagonal courtyard.
But, as we know from history, neither the castle wall nor its moats saved Paul I from his terrible fate. Soon after moving to his impregnable residence, on the night of March 11-12, 1801, Pavel was killed in his own bedroom ... In the photo there is a monument to Paul I in the courtyard of the castle
After the death of the emperor, his family returned to the Winter Palace, and in Mikhailovsky Castle in 1823 the Main Engineering School was located, from which its second name came - Engineering Castle. From 1829 to 1835, the interior was rebuilt for the needs of the school, so the original layout of the fortress was lost
Today, a branch of the State Russian Museum is located in Mikhailovsky Castle, and the castle itself has been completely restored - some of the premises even managed to return to their original appearance
In 1800, a monument to Peter I was erected in the square in front of the castle, cast half a century ago, in 1745-1747, according to the model of Rastrelli, made during the life of Peter I. The inscription "Great-grandfather great-grandson" is carved on the monument
In 2003, another monument to Paul I by the sculptor Gorevoy was erected in the courtyard of the castle
Panorama of the Mikhailovsky Castle
Mikhailovsky Castle from the Moika River.
“Mysterious phenomena attributed to spirits and ghosts have been noticed here almost from the very foundation of the castle. The unexpected suddenness of the death of Emperor Paul ... even more increased the gloomy and mysterious reputation of this gloomy house ... ”So wrote about Mikhailovsky (Engineering) Castle Nikolai Semenovich Leskov -“ the most Russian of Russian writers ”according to literary critics.
Indeed, visions and legends accompany the magnificent building on the banks of the Fontanka from the moment the first stone was laid to the present day. The unusual history and beauty of the mystical building reminiscent of European medieval fortresses make it unusually attractive for curious tourists and residents of St. Petersburg. And this is not surprising, because Mikhailovsky Castle is a dream embodied in stone about knightly ideals, an imperial residence abandoned by a crowned family, a unique architectural monument that completes the Russian history of the 18th century.
Historical reference
The son of Catherine the Great Pavel Petrovich dreamed of a chivalrous aesthetics from childhood, in his youth he was fond of Freemasonry, and after entering the Russian throne, he became dignity of the Grand Master of the Order of the Knights of Malta.
In his young years, a trip abroad led the Grand Duke to the castle of Chatilli (the estate of Prince Conde in France), which struck the imagination of the future monarch and his wife. In Europe, he meets his future court architect, decorator Vincenzo Brenna, and invites him to Russia to decorate the premises of.
In 1784, European impressions found expression in the first drafts of a plan for a special castle, executed by the emperor with his own hand. For 12 years, a project has been developed, to which he attracts Henri Francois Violier, and then, who fell into disfavor of the architect - replaced by Vasily Bazhenov. The castle was supposed to be built in, but fate would have liked otherwise ...
In November 1796, Catherine II died. As soon as he ascended the Russian throne, Paul I issued a decree on the immediate and urgent construction of a new ceremonial imperial residence on the site of the dilapidated creation of Rastrelli - the wooden Summer Palace of Elizabeth. The place was not chosen by chance - in this house he was born.
In the decree, the future castle has already been given a name - Mikhailovsky in honor of the archangel Michael, the patron saint of the Romanov dynasty. Paul orders to build a secular structure, but calls it like a temple.
As if anticipating the short term of his reign (only 4 years, 4 months and 4 days), Paul is in a hurry to realize his long-term dream. Bazhenov is not able to create at this pace, and the beloved Italian architect Brenna readily provides his services: he processes the final version of the project (there were 13 in all) and proceeds to construction.
The work is carried out around the clock, the territory where 6 thousand people work simultaneously illuminates torch fire at night, the necessary materials are delivered from other facilities under construction (including), the architect has qualified assistants, including the future celebrity Carl Rossi. The construction, which was spent a huge amount at that time - 6,000,000 rubles, dates from record periods - from 1797 to 1800.
As soon as the interior decoration ended in the main ceremonial and residential chambers, on February 1, 1801, the emperor’s family with a large retinue solemnly entered the castle walls, which did not really have time to dry out. 40 days later, on March 11 of the same year, Pavel was treacherously killed in his own bedroom by participants in a palace coup organized by the highest dignitaries of the state. It was officially announced that the emperor died from an apoplexy strike. The gentry "offended" by the reforms of Paul rejoiced, the soldiers cried that morning on March 12 and said: "He was our father." Alexander I ascended the throne
The yard immediately leaves the uninhabited residence and returns to the Winter Palace. The interiors of the Mikhailovsky Castle are literally taken apart. According to the Highest Order, not only artistic values \u200b\u200bare exported: paintings, sculptures, tapestries, marble fireplaces - from here they take marble and other materials necessary for the construction of the New Hermitage, send silver church gates for re-melting ...
In 1819, the building was given to the Main Engineering School, from which its second name derives. After the October Revolution, the Leningrad Military Engineering School was opened here. The famous castle graduates of its educational institutions entered the history of the country: the writers F.M. Dostoevsky and D.V. Grigorovich, scientists P.N. Yablochkov and I.M. Sechenov, hero of the Crimean War, General E.I. Totleben and Soviet General D.M. Karbyshev, who died in the Nazi concentration camp, and many others.
Mikhailovsky Castle is a milestone in the history of the Russian Empire. Here, with the death of Paul I at the hands of the conspirators, the era of palace coups ended, but the sad fate of the Russian emperors did not end. One can see from the castle windows erected at the site of the mortal wound of his grandson Alexander II. Between the castle and the temple is located. About this line by Anna Akhmatova:
"Between the tombs of the grandson and grandfather
The ruffled garden got lost.
Emerging from the prison delirium,
The lights are burial burning. ”
Interestingly, it was Alexander II who owned the idea of \u200b\u200bturning the bedroom of the murdered ancestor into a church, which he visited annually on March 11 to pray.
Architecture features
Mikhailovsky Castle, made in the style of romantic classicism, the only "Castle on the Water" in Russia, really stood on a man-made island in the 18th century. The northeastern part of the territory was washed by the waters of Fontanka and Moika, and from the south and west the Church and Ascension channels were dug, through which three drawbridges, guarded by sentries and guns, were thrown.
The structure of Mikhailovsky Castle reflected the religious and philosophical views of Paul I, who declared himself the head of the Church, his desire to completely centralize power and claim the role of head of the Christian world. The building is filled with a mixture of sacred names and sayings, Masonic signs, chivalrous symbols and allegories.
The plan of the castle is a square with the octagon of the courtyard inscribed in it.
Mikhailovsky Castle aerial view.
Some researchers believe that these are Masonic symbols, others associate with the form of a casket in which relics of the Maltese knights are supposedly hidden.
On the flagpole of the turret of the eastern facade, overlooking the Fontanka embankment, an imperial standard fluttered, reporting that Paul was in the castle.
The north facade faces and is designed as a park.
Mikhailovsky Castle, Summer Garden and Field of Mars.
The most elegant is the western facade, where under the spire is the house church of St. Michael. Inside the dome is decorated with an image of the all-seeing eye - a symbol of the Masons.
Another Masonic symbol - statues representing day and night, were located in the niches of the main, monumental and solemn, southern facade, on the frieze of which a slightly modified line from the bible is applied.
The southern facade of the Mikhailovsky Castle.
A monument to Peter I was erected in front of the main entrance to the castle, and the inscription "Great-grandfather is great-grandson" is carved on the pedestal.
Mikhailovsky Castle and the monument to Peter I.
The interior of the castle has a complex configuration: round or oval, polygonal or equipped with niches.
Interiors of the Mikhailovsky Castle.
The halls were repeatedly reconstructed for the needs of the school, the canals were filled up, the bridges were removed. The original interiors, designed by V. Brenna with the involvement of remarkable artists and sculptors, have practically not been preserved.
The exception is the main staircase, where a contrast transition is used from the lower, as if squeezed by walls, darkened space to the wide upper tier, flooded with light from huge windows.
The main staircase of the Mikhailovsky Castle.
The embodiment of the idea of \u200b\u200bascending from darkness to light, from unfair rule to a virtuous monarch is supported by the sculpture "Dying Cleopatra."
The bronze bas-relief depicting the state emblem of the Russian Empire, on which, together with the double-headed eagle, is the Maltese cross, has also been preserved from the initial decoration.
Legends of the Mikhailovsky Castle
The phenomenon of the Archangel Michael
Visions began even before the castle was laid. According to legend, the messenger of the Archangel Michael appeared on guard duty at the Summer Palace, indicating the place for the construction of the House and the Temple. Perhaps the spread of the legend was facilitated by Paul himself, thus wanting to justify the need for urgent construction of a new imperial residence.
47 lettering inscription
Another myth is connected with the prediction of the city holy fool Ksenia of Petersburg that the emperor will live as many years as the letters are written above the entrance to his house. The inscription on the Mikhailovsky castle “The holy shrine of the Lord befits your house for the longest days” according to the spelling of that time contained 47 letters. And for sure, the emperor was killed at 47 years of age.
Castle Wall Color
The unusual pink and orange color of the castle is associated with the Beautiful Lady, who, as befits a knight, was with Paul. Maid of honor Anna Gagarina dropped a glove, the color of which, by order of the emperor, served as a model for painting walls.
The ghost of the emperor and the casket of the Maltese knights
Among the many ghost legends of the Mikhailovsky Castle, the main one tells of the ghost of Emperor Paul I, who wanders through the corridors and is seen in the windows of the castle. The legend was invented by the cadets of the Engineering School; the story of N.S. Leskova "Ghost in the Engineering Castle."
When the knights of the Order of Malta came under the protection of Paul I, they brought to St. Petersburg their relics, including a kind of magic casket that only the Grand Master could keep. One legend says that this relic is hidden in the dungeons of the castle, and the soul of the emperor-master appears in the castle, checking the safety of the secrets of the Order ...
Impregnable fortress
The myth that Paul wanted to create an impregnable fortress, and therefore the castle is surrounded by moats, bastions, cannons, drawbridges - does not hold water. According to the owner’s plan, the castle combined the functions of the main residence, apartment building and museum. On the third day after the housewarming, permission was given: to freely inspect everyone’s Mikhailovsky Castle, which was used by contemporaries, evaluating it as an example of “luxury and taste”.
Much time has passed since then, and after a long restriction on entry, the doors of this miracle of architecture reopened, however, now on a fee basis.
Exposition and Attractions
In 1994, Mikhailovsky Castle was fully included in the network of branches, with the exception of the premises, which since 1957 housed the library of the Navy. Large-scale restoration work was carried out, the original appearance was restored to many rooms, the inscription on the facade and the sculpture in the exterior design of the building were restored. In addition, the transformation affected the territory surrounding the castle. Fragments of the Three-Span Bridge and part of the Voskresensky Canal in front of the main facade have been restored.
The opening of the museum was timed to coincide with the 300th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg - May 27, 2003. Then in the courtyard of the castle was a monument to Paul I, created by V.E. Gorevym and V.I. Nalyvayko.
A collection of paintings by foreign artists who wrote in Russia in the 18th-19th centuries was transferred here, a permanent open-air sculpture fund of the past, the year before last and the present century was organized, and a thematic exposition from the works of Russian artists of the first half of the 19th century, the St. Petersburg Romanov Society.
The most valuable collections of permanent exhibits include:
- Faces of Russia. Portrait Gallery of the Russian Museum;
- The restored palace interiors of the late XVIII century;
- Model of the Mikhailovsky Castle.
Today, the walls of the Mikhailovsky Castle lively. Classes of classical music, meetings and even balls are held in the St. George Hall. Museum staff conduct lecture programs accompanying temporary exhibitions.
You can get acquainted with the history of the castle and the masterpieces of art during the tour, which will take you through the main staircase, art gallery, throne room with a visit to the church and bedroom of Paul I, which are not accessible to visitors during an independent examination. Adventure lovers are offered a night excursion - maybe someone will be lucky to see the emperor on a walk with candles in his hand or playing the flagollet (an old flute).
Recently, an ultra-modern multimedia center called the Electronic Russian Museum has opened in the western pavilion of Mikhailovsky Castle, where paintings by famous artists come to life before the eyes of the audience. Hundreds of museum exhibits are presented on digital media in a modern interpretation.
Where is it and how to get there
The branch of the Russian Museum Engineering (Mikhailovsky) Castle is located at Sadovaya Street 2.
The nearest metro station is Gostiny Dvor, from which a short walk along Sadovaya Street will lead to Mikhailovsky Castle.
In the very first month of the reign of Paul I, on November 28, 1796, a decree was issued: " for the permanent sovereign of residence to build with haste a new impregnable palace-castle. Stand him in the place of a dilapidated Summer House"The emperor did not want to live in the Winter Palace. He preferred to live in the place where he was born. To strengthen the belief in the necessity of this step, rumors were started. As if a soldier, standing at night on the clock in the Summer Palace, a young man appeared, surrounded by radiance. The young man said Sentinel: " Go to the emperor and convey my will - so that a temple and a house in the name of Archangel Michael". The soldier, having replaced his post, reported the incident to his superiors, then to the emperor. So it was allegedly decided to build a new palace, so he was given the name - Mikhailovsky.
Designing a new building, Paul I commissioned the architect Vasily Ivanovich Bazhenov, the emperor’s mentor in architecture. A preliminary plan of the future structure was drawn by Paul himself.
The laying of the Mikhailovsky Castle took place on February 26, 1797 in the presence of Paul I. Bazhenov could not attend it because of his illness. For the ceremony, a special piece of Italian marble was made with the inscription " In the summer of the 1797th month of February, on the 26th day, the foundation of this building of the Mikhailovsky Castle was laid ..."[Quoted from: 1, p. 144] For the bookmark participants, bricks were made of polished jasper. A silver hammer, shovels and gilded saucers with gold and silver coins were made according to the sketch of Vincenzo Brenna. Architect Yegor Sokolov, empress - Vincenzo served the emperor with mortgage. Brenna, grand dukes and princesses - the commissar of the service Grigory Bazhenov (architect's namesake).
March 4, 1797 announced a new decision: " Direct the construction of the Mikhailovsky Palace to our architect, college adviser Brenna"[Quoted from: 1, p. 145]. Vincenzo Brenna, unlike Bazhenov, agreed to build the palace in great haste. He was not an architect, but only a decorator. Therefore, when managing the construction he followed Bazhenov's project exactly. In the spring of 1795, Brenna broke his arm, so he could not draw drawings.
The assistants of Brenna included Fedor Svinin and Karl Rossi. With their help, drawings were made and handed over to the emperor with the appeal: " Your Majesty. The plans and drawings of the Mikhailovsky Palace designed by your Imperial Majesty I put in order in accordance with the fundamentals and rules of art ..."
The emperor introduced his own proposals into the project and demanded their implementation. So the courtyard of the building became octagonal. This probably should have reminded everyone that Paul I is the grandmaster of the Order of Malta, which has just an octagonal shape. In the eastern part of the castle, the emperor was ordered to build a wide front staircase, which led only to a small guard room.
Paul I rushed and accelerated the construction. For this purpose, Vincenzo Brenna received the rank of state adviser, Charles Cameron and Giacomo Quarenghi were sent to help him. In addition, E. Sokolov, I. Hirsch and G. Pilnikov worked with Brenna.
The “Special Expedition for the Building” was ordered to complete the construction work by 1797. Because of this, I had to work around the clock. In the dark, builders, whose number was brought up to 6,000 people, used torches.
To speed up the work, construction materials intended for other construction projects were transferred here: decorative stone, columns, friezes and sculptures from Tsarskoye Selo, the palace in Pella and the Academy of Arts; from the construction site of St. Isaac's Cathedral - a frieze, which was placed above the main gate; from the Tauride Palace - typeset parquet.
On the frieze of the southeastern facade there is an inscription: "THERE WILL LIKE YOUR HOUSE FOR THE LAST DAY FOR THE LAST DAY." There is a legend that the death of Paul I was predicted, supposedly the number of years of the emperor would be equal to the number of letters in the text of this saying. Whether it was a prediction or not is impossible to say for sure, but the fact of coincidence is obvious. The tympanum of the pediment of the same facade contains a bas-relief "History brings glory of Russia to its tablets," created by sculptor P. Stagi.
For the sake of speedy decoration of the interiors, Paul I canceled the duty on items imported from abroad destined for the Mikhailovsky Castle. Two plafonds of the Great Throne Hall were made from a single canvas "Allegory of the Bliss of the Reign of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna", written by the artist D. Valeriani for the Great Hall in the Catherine Palace. It was transferred to Mikhailovsky Castle in 1800, cut into two parts (“Allegory of Victory” and “Allegory of Peace”) and inserted into new subframes.
The decoration of the premises of the Mikhailovsky Castle was attended by sculptors P. Stadzhi, P. Tricorni, artists D. Scotty, A. Vigi, J. Mettenler and many others.
The space around the palace was radically transformed. The approach to the building began from Italyanskaya Street through triple semicircular gates, the average passage of which was intended only for members of the imperial family. Beyond the gate was a wide, straight alley. On the sides of the alley are the buildings of the stables and the arena (exertsirgauz). The alley ended at the three-story pavilions (guardrooms), after which the pre-castle fortifications began.
Since 1798, the canals surrounding Mikhailovsky Castle were faced. On April 30, in a row, the facing was given to Petrozavodsk merchants Efim and Philip Bekrenev (father and son). Around the palace, the beaches were laid out with a "wild stone", and around the ceremonial places - with the Tosno basement plate. On August 2, 1799, Efim Bekrenev pledged to stone the canal between the castle and the Summer Garden. The work was supposed to be completed by October next year.
Then, in front of the main facade of the Mikhailovsky Castle, the area of \u200b\u200bConnetable was created (parade ground of the commander of the army). The area was intended for military exercises and parades so beloved by Paul I. She, too, was surrounded by a wide moat through which a wooden drawbridge was thrown. Guns were placed on both sides of the bridge. In the center of the square is a monument to Peter I. Behind the monument is a moat and three bridges. The middle bridge was intended only for the imperial family and foreign ambassadors. He led to the main entrance.
The ceremonial consecration of the new castle took place on November 8, 1800. February 1, 1801 the imperial family moved to Mikhailovsky Castle.
The cost of building the Mikhailovsky Castle amounted to 6,171,069 rubles. The residence of Paul I was the most expensive building of the XVIII century.
The first floor was intended for the heir to the throne, Alexander Pavlovich and his wife, the southwestern part - to Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich, the southeastern part - from the Fontanka side - to Chief Stahlmeister I. I. Kutaisov, the northwestern part - to Paul I. From the parade ground the courtyard was the premises of Chief Marshal A. L. Naryshkin.
From the main courtyard of the Mikhailovsky Castle, one could get to four stairs: the main one, leading to the church, to the carding room and to the living quarters. The main staircase with columns of polished gray Siberian marble led to the suite of palace chambers of the second floor. Passing through it, one could get into the entrance hall, decorated with historical paintings by painters V.K. Shebuyev and G.I. Ugryumov. This was followed by the throne room, the walls of which were covered in green velvet. Behind the throne room was the Laocoon Gallery, where historical tapestries hung and marble statues stood. Behind the gallery, guests entered the living room, then into the huge marble hall, where the gentlemen of the Order of Malta were on duty. The Empress’s chambers were also located on the second floor. Here was the Raphael Gallery, one of the walls of which was covered with carpets with woven copies of the best paintings by Raphael Santi. The emperor's living quarters were on the left hand of the church. On the other side of the church were the rooms of Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich. They extended to the Voskresensky (White) Hall, opening a suite of front apartments.
The premises of the third floor were occupied by the great princesses.
Paul I was in such a hurry with the move that he did not even wait for the walls to dry out. The building remained damp and cold. The historian August Kotzebue, who described all the premises of the Mikhailovsky Castle on behalf of the emperor, said:
“Nothing could be worse for health than this dwelling. Traces of destructive dampness were visible everywhere, and in the hall, in which large historical paintings hung, I saw with my own eyes, despite the constant fire maintained in two fireplaces, there were streaks of ice an inch thick and with the width of several palms. In the rooms of the emperor and empress, the dampness was to some extent eliminated by the fact that the walls were finished with wood, but everyone else suffered cruelly "[Cit. by: 1, p. 155, 156].
Moving to Mikhailovsky Castle allowed Paul I to draw his favorite Anna Petrovna Lopukhin closer to him. She left her husband’s house and settled in a new palace under the emperor’s office. He communicated with her rooms with a special staircase.
Just 40 days after the housewarming (on the night of March 11 to 12, 1801), the emperor was killed in his front bedroom.
After the Tsar’s murder, the courtiers in a hurry left Mikhailovsky Castle. His ghost began to frighten some, legends were born about the voice of Peter the Great, sounding in the halls of the palace.
The arrangement of the Mikhailovsky Castle was suspended. Values \u200b\u200bwere gradually exported from its premises to old mansions and palaces.
Mikhailovsky Castle by imperial decree was transferred to the Main Engineering School in 1819. Hence its second name. Since February 1823, the castle is officially called the "Engineering". In 1820, Carl Rossi re-planned the area around the castle, the canals were bombarded. For the needs of the educational institution, redevelopment of premises was required, which began to be carried out in 1822. The leadership of the school at the same time paid attention only to the needs of the institution. Partitions were placed in the large halls of the Engineering Castle, and additional passages were arranged. Gilded modeling was whitened, sometimes destroyed or covered with a thick layer of plaster.
When decorating the museum halls of the New Hermitage in the 1840s, marble from the interiors of the Engineering Castle was actively used. In 1871, according to the project of K. A. Ukhtomsky, the Small Church of the Engineering School was equipped in the former Main Bedroom. The Big Castle Church was divided by ceilings into three separate rooms. In 1891-1895, a staircase was built into the gallery of Laocoon.
Here in the years 1838-1843 he studied and until 1841 lived F. M. Dostoevsky. The engineering school in Mikhailovsky Castle was also completed by the hero of Sevastopol E.I. Totleben, physiologist I.M.Sechenov, physicist P.N. Yablochkov, composer and scientist C. A. Cui, writer D.V. Grigorovich.
Since 1917, the Mikhailovsky (Engineering) castle became occupied by various Soviet institutions, next to which the engineering school continued to work.
During World War II, a heavy aerial bomb hit the eastern part of Mikhailovsky (Engineering) Castle. Then the front dining room was completely destroyed, the roof was significantly damaged.
Interesting discoveries were made by restorers during restoration work in 1953. It was then that the true origin of the two plafonds of the Great Throne Hall was revealed. For Mikhailovsky Castle, copies were taken from them, and the originals were used to restore the Catherine Palace.
In 1988, the Museum of the History of the City was asked to consider the possibility of using the premises that were vacated after moving from the Mikhailovsky Castle of the Lengiproenergo Institute. The Museum of the City History did not manage to get new squares here. In 1991, the Russian Museum bought a third of the premises of the castle, and four years later bought it in full. Currently, permanent exhibits are open in the halls. By the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg, the Resurrection Canal and the Three-span bridge were reconstructed and opened.
Today I am in the mood to show and tell a little about the sad architectural monument of Mikhailovsky (Engineering) castle. About the place of birth and departure to another world of Paul I. “Our Emperor Romantic” (according to Pushkin) raved about the Middle Ages. His project is known to replace wars with tournaments of sovereigns of the warring powers. An Orthodox man, a regular family man, he became a grandmaster of the Catholic Order of Malta, implying celibacy.
On the map
To the south of the Summer Garden rises one of the most mysterious structures of St. Petersburg - Mikhailovsky Castle. The castle is mysterious and unusual. For two hundred years now, since its foundation, mysterious legends and traditions have surrounded him. On the site of the Mikhailovsky Castle, even Catherine I began the construction of a modest Summer Palace, which ended already in the reign of Anna Ioannovna. She fell in love with him and willingly spent the summer months here. The next empress, Elizabeth Petrovna, barely ascending the throne, ordered to destroy the building and begin construction of a new Summer Palace. It is no accident that it was this palace that Empress Catherine II chose to receive official congratulations on her accession to the throne. Here in 1754 Emperor Paul I was born. Here he spent his young years. From here began his painfully long, forty-year journey to the throne. Having finally become emperor and beware of living in the Winter Palace, Paul, according to legend, once said: "I want to die where I was born." The very first month of the reign of Paul I on November 28, 1796, a decree was issued: “For a permanent sovereign to live, build with haste a new impregnable palace-castle. Stand him in the place of a dilapidated Summer House. ” In 1797, the wooden Summer Palace was dismantled by his order. And in its place begins the grandiose construction of the castle, named by Mikhailovsky in honor of the Archangel Michael, on the day of remembrance of which the castle was laid.
According to legend, once upon a time standing on guard at the old Summer Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna, a soldier appeared in radiance with the Archangel Michael. He ordered the sentry to go immediately to the emperor and say that this Summer Palace should be destroyed, and in its place a church was built in the name of Archangel Michael. The soldier did as the saint ordered, to which Paul allegedly replied: "His will will be fulfilled." On the same day, he ordered the construction of a new palace and with him a church in the name of the archistratig.
It is also surprising that the mysterious life of its owner, the most mystical Russian emperor Paul I, which tragically ended in the walls of the castle, was also predicted according to legend.
On the frieze of the castle there is an inscription: “THERE WILL LET YOUR HOUSE THE SACRITY OF THE LORD FOR LONGER DAYS”. And one holy fool said that the number of years of the emperor’s life will be equal to the number of letters in the text of this saying. Whether it was a prediction or not is impossible to say for sure, but the fact of coincidence is obvious.
Monitoring the construction of Paul I was entrusted to Vasily Ivanovich Bazhenov, the emperor’s mentor in architecture. The plan of the future structure was drawn by Paul himself. On March 4, 1797, a new decision was announced: “The construction of the Mikhailovsky Palace should be entrusted directly to our architect, college adviser Brenna.” Vincenzo Brenna lived at that time in one of the houses of the Catholic Church of St. Catherine, here the final design of the building was drawn up. In addition to the design of the palace, Brenna created a project for arranging the surrounding space: the square in front of the castle, the arena, stables and guardrooms. The assistants to the architect included Fedor Svinin and Karl Rossi. With their help, drawings were made and handed over to the emperor with the appeal: “Your Majesty. The plans and drawings of the Mikhailovsky Palace designed by your Imperial Majesty I put in order in accordance with the fundamentals and rules of art ... " 
Paul I rushed and accelerated the construction. To this end, Vincenzo Brenna received the rank of state adviser, Charles Cameron and Giacomo Quarenghi were sent to help him. In addition, E. Sokolov, I. Hirsch and G. Pilnikov worked with Brenna. To expedite work, construction materials intended for other construction projects were transferred here: decorative stone, columns, friezes and sculptures from Tsarskoye Selo and the Academy of Arts; from the construction site of St. Isaac's Cathedral - a frieze, which was placed above the main gate; from the Tauride Palace - typeset parquet.
The space around the palace was radically transformed. The approach to the building began from Italyanskaya Street through triple semicircular gates, the average passage of which was intended only for members of the imperial family. Beyond the gate was a wide, straight alley. On the sides of the alley are the buildings of the stables and the arena (exertsirgauz). The alley ended at the three-story pavilions (guardrooms), after which the pre-castle fortifications began. Connetable Square was surrounded by a wide moat through which a wooden drawbridge was thrown. Guns were placed on both sides of the bridge. In the center of the square is a monument to Peter I. Behind the monument is a moat and three bridges. The middle bridge was intended only for the imperial family and foreign ambassadors. He led to the main entrance.
The castle, surrounded on all sides by water, was connected to the outside world using a chain bridge that rose at night.
Armed guards were on duty around the clock at the entrance to the gloomy well of the octagonal courtyard. The emperor’s residence isolated from the city inspired both reverent awe and panic fear.
In 1800, a monument to Peter I was erected on the square in front of the castle with the inscription "Great-grandfather's great-grandson", cast in 1745-1747 according to the model of the sculptor B. K. Rastrelli, made during the life of Peter I. The pedestal lined with marble was carved by the architect F. I. Volkov. Bronze bas-reliefs are mounted on it.
The Poltava Battle and The Battle of Gangut, created by young sculptors V. I. Demut-Malinovsky, I. I. Terebenev and I. E. Moiseev under the leadership of M. I. Kozlovsky. According to the plan of Paul I, the territory of the castle was to organically merge with the Summer Garden, thus uniting the acts of "great-grandfather and great-grandson."
Paul was in a hurry with the construction of the castle. February 1, 1801 impatient and categorical, together with his family, he drove into an unventilated and unpowered residence. The forty days left before his villainous murder are permeated through and through with a mystical apprehension of misfortune. By the first dinner in the Mikhailovsky Castle, Maria Fedorovna had specially ordered a service with views of the castle. According to legend, Paul, having seen him, nearly wept and began to kiss objects with the image of his beloved brainchild. It was difficult to understand whether this was a greeting or a farewell. 
Before his death, on the night of March 10-11, after dinner, Paul got up from the table and went to the mirror. “Look what a funny mirror. I see myself with my neck to the side,” Pavel laughed. And he left, according to the legend, saying at the same time either to himself or to relatives: "Why not be avoided." That very night Paul was strangled. Paul was a highly educated man and was not without a practical mind. Some of his motives were distinguished by good intentions: he waged an energetic struggle against abuse of service, bribery and bureaucracy, took measures to save forests, and helped lower prices for bread and salt. Another striking feature of the emperor was his fanatical piety. However, very often he gave vent to his frantic and extravagant character. N.M. Karamzin, in his Notes on Ancient and New Russia, wrote that Emperor Paul "reigned in general horror, not following any charters except his whim." This could not but give rise to hatred for him. There are 30 known attempts at an attempt on his life. Finally, a conspiracy led by high-ranking statesmen and military leaders has matured. Fear for their fate, hostility and personal hatred of Paul, pushed them to regicide. The death of Paul, according to contemporaries, turned into a national holiday in St. Petersburg. 
After the death of Paul, the royal family returned to the Winter Palace. Finishing work in the castle was stopped, and he was abandoned. In 1819, Mikhailovsky Castle was transferred to the Main Engineering School. Hence its second name. In 1820, the canals surrounding the castle were filled up; in the 1840s, part of the marble interiors was used for the construction of the New Hermitage. Since February 1823, the castle is officially called the "Engineering". In 1820, Carl Rossi re-planned the area around the castle, the canals were bombarded. In 1829-1835, the restructuring and redevelopment of interiors for the needs of an engineering school was carried out by the architect A. Ya. Andreev. 
At the end of October, Mikhailovsky was the headquarters of the cadet rebellion of 1917, during the suppression of which was occupied by soldiers of the Pavlovsky regiment. In the 1920-1930s, the Engineering School housed the Military Engineering School and the Military Engineering History Museum of the Red Army, and from 1925-1932 the Military Technical Academy. During the blockade was subjected to shelling and bombing. Direct hit of a heavy bomb in the east wing destroyed the former front dining room.
Here in 1833-1843 he studied and until 1841 lived F.M. Dostoevsky.
In 1991, a third of the castle’s premises are bought by the Russian Museum, in 1995, the museum completely buys it. Restored, restored many of the interiors in the form in which they were under Paul. By the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg, the Resurrection Canal and the Three-span bridge were reconstructed and opened. The inscription on the facade, previously covered with sheet metal, has been restored.
Also in the courtyard of the castle is a monument to Paul I.
Sculptor Gorevoy V.E., architect Nalivaiko V.I. 2003
The general layout of the Mikhailovsky Castle is quite simple. It is a square with a side a little over a hundred meters and the octagon of the courtyard inscribed in it. However, the internal layout of the castle is solved with extraordinary imagination. It is distinguished by a wide variety of spatial architectural forms. The rooms, rectangular in plan, built by enfilades, are replaced by round, triangular, oval halls, other enfilades represent a combination of different geometric shapes.
According to the principles of classicism, the building should be a symmetrical, strictly balanced composition. This impression is preserved if we consider any facade of the Mikhailovsky Castle separately. But since no facade is a repetition of another, the three-dimensional solution of the castle is an asymmetric composition. When viewing it, it allows you to find a wide variety of promising species points from all sides. To a large extent, only the octagonal courtyard, the center of the entire architectural composition, retains symmetry in a planned and spatial solution. This is the only passage located from the main facade. From the inside, the driveway resembles a multi-columned hall or lobby with four rows of columns, six columns in each row. The columns support the closure of the mezzanine floor, on which lies the main Resurrection Hall, bearing the same name as the entrance gate.
Despite the various decisions of the facades, the castle is perceived as an integral volume, due to the gradual transition from one facade to another, which is achieved by a system of rivets and rounded corners.
The composition of the main facade was built on a gradual increase in architectural masses and sculptural decor from the periphery to the center. Against the background of smooth walls, a significant size of risalit stands out with marble columns uniting the two upper floors. Each column was once answered with a round sculpture located above the cornice, depicting in allegorical form one of the regions of Russia.
The central portico with the same but double columns is lined with multi-colored marble, treated with large rust, decorated with two obelisks with military fittings and the monogram of Paul I. A frieze from the Shoksha porphyry passes over the colonnade. The composition of the facade was completed by a triangular pediment with a bas-relief and a stepped attic, crowned by a sculptural group of work by academician MP P. Alexandrov-Uvazhniy, a pupil of the Academy of Arts. Of the sculptural works, only the bas-relief in the tympanum of the pediment on the theme “History brings glory of Russia to its tablets”, performed by sculptors by the brothers Stadzhi-Pietro, Dzhakino and Lorenzo, is preserved.
No less interesting is the facade from the side of the Summer Garden and the Moika River. It is no coincidence that the architect decided it as a garden, connecting the facade with the Summer Garden, which had by then lost its regular appearance and turned into a landscape one.
The wide gently sloping marches of the huge staircase made a smooth transition from the space surrounded by greenery to the gallery-loggia, reminiscent of an extensive lobby opened towards the garden, as if inviting into the castle premises. The picturesque baroque techniques used here - the alternation of sunken and protruding parts, an abundance of decorative sculpture - allowed Brenna to more closely connect Mikhailovsky Castle with the created natural environment.
A more strict classical structure of the architectural elements of the main facade was designed for the open space of the parade ground, and the use of decorative sculpture in the solution of this facade contributed to a better compositional connection of the castle with the equestrian statue in front of it. At the same time, the equestrian statue helped to organize the area directly adjacent to the castle, and provided a closer depth-spatial relationship of all the constituent parts of the ensemble.
The side facades - from the side of the Fontanka River and the church - are more modest and similar to each other. The one and the other in the central part are marked by a ledge, corresponding in one case to the Oval Hall, and in the other to the premises of the church.
